The slaughter pig market in January

Noticeably larger offer

A significantly smaller supply was available on the slaughter pig market at the beginning of the new year, while demand from the slaughter companies was brisk. The available animals could therefore be sold smoothly at fixed prices. The meat processing industry also showed increasing interest in processed goods. In the middle of January, however, the pig supply quickly returned to a high level, so that the animals offered could only be placed on the market at unchanged prices. It was only towards the end of the month that, despite the still unsatisfactory meat shops, the slaughterhouses had to increase their payment prices again due to the supply.

The monthly average for fattening pigs of meat trade class E was 1,16 euros per kilogram slaughter weight, which was six cents more than in December, but that was still six cents less than a year ago. On average across all trade classes E to P, the slaughter paid EUR 1,11 per kilogram, also six cents more than in the previous month and six cents less than at the beginning of 2003.

The mail-order slaughterhouses and meat product factories in Germany that are obliged to report accounted for an average of around 767.000 pigs a week according to commercial classes in January, which was around 100.000 animals or almost 15 percent more than in December and 2,6 percent more than in January 2003.

Source: Bonn [ZmP]